B.A.

(Hons) Visual Communication

Module: Design for Society

Module Code: VC202-880-05 (20 credits)

Lecturer: Katherine Szeto + Marta Kusztra Date: 12/9/2006

Assignment 5: Design campaign raising awareness and enhancing

empathy toward poor people in Shanghai

Introduction: It is difficult to walk the street in Shanghai without noticing the

homeless, poor migrant workers, beggars. These people have
become a permanent part of the urban landscape.

The number of poor people living a hand-to-mouth existence

on the margins of society is growing and so is the intolerance
toward them. There is little understanding of the reasons for
their social condition, and little interest in helping them improve
it. The people in Shanghai are indifferent, sometimes even
aggressive toward the poor.

What is your attitude toward this problem?

Brief: Create a campaign that will raise awareness of the issues

surrounding poverty. Demonstrate how graphic designers
can contribute to a change in social attitudes toward
urban poor. Come up with a powerful message and a strong
design idea. Remember that the most innovative, new,
experimental social campaigns are often the most efficient in
communication.

It is up to you to define the message you choose to convey,

what media you decide to use, who you want your campaign to
address, and what aspect of poverty you would like to discuss.
The goal is to develop an original and consistent design
concept.

You are expected to:

1. Define the term “urban poor”. Investigate the

problem, analyze the most common social attitudes
toward poverty and poor people in Shanghai, and
examine your own attitude.

2. Research the most successful social campaigns in

the last five years in China and abroad. How can your
campaign be different?

3. Outline the concept of your campaign (in writing).

Include this in your rationale.

4. Present at least 3 design solutions that correspond

with your concept. Experiment visually!!!

5. Prepare final presentation.

Learning Outcomes: understand the effectiveness of the use of typography,
illustration and photography in the context of society

understand contemporary and contextual issues influencing

graphic design in society

conceptualize creative design solutions that may consider

cultural, economic and social contexts

prepare and produce sensitive, creative design solutions that

may consider cultural, economic and social contexts

research, identify, analyze, and apply contemporary techniques

using appropriate media

Work Required: Students must submit:

1. 1 sketchbook documenting concept development;
2. Project presentation
3. Project rationale

Deadline: October 25th 2006

Assessment Strategy: Documentation of Research (40%)

Design Rationale (20%)
Final Design Solution (40%)

Project Weighting This project is worth 25% (twenty-five percent) of the total
within the Module: Visual Communication module mark.